


What if ... what if ... what if

by JDWraith



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Choices, But he's not perfect, But only a little bit - alternate endings, Canon Divergence - Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Civil War Team Iron Man, I started playing a little game of what if, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Steve's not evil, Team IronMan, Which is why we need checks and balances, no one is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-10-09 11:13:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10410900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JDWraith/pseuds/JDWraith
Summary: Because it wasn't all about Tony and Cap.I started playing that little game of what if ... what if various characters acted differently or had not got involved, or if other characters had intervened.Suggestions for people or plot ideas are welcome.  Not sure how many I'll do but I can't resist starting with the character whose actions I just couldn't reconcile ... Lucky Agent 13 - Sharon Carter





	1. Sharon Carter

 

Seeing Sharon at Peggy's funeral had been a shock.  A good kind of shock.  Seeing Bucky's picture in the aftermath of the Vienna bombing had been devastating. 

"If only I knew where to find him.  I could bring him in safely," Steve lamented.  Sharon stared at him and bit her lip.   

"I'm sorry Steve," she whispered.  He nodded.  She turned away and hurried to join a short blonde/grey man issuing a pile of orders.

                                                             **********************************************************************************

Bucharest. 

Bucky had been in Bucharest.  A special forces team had attacked his apartment without warning, guns blazing. 

_[A possible outcome of Steve not intervening in Bucharest is that Bucky dies and Zemo's plan falls apart ... but the Winter Soldier hasn't survived for so long without wicked skills and the serum makes him very hard to stop so I'm going with the following.]_

Bucky had been shot twice but had still managed to fight his way out only to be met on a nearby rooftop by a mysterious figure in a black catsuit.  Literally, a cat suit, with ears and everything.  Steve's breath caught in his throat as he watched footage of their short, fierce fight when ended with the dark figure raising his hand above a prone Bucky's face, ready to deliver a killing blow.  But the man had stopped.  He had instead turned his attention to Bucky's arm, the metal one.  Then he'd delivered another punch to Bucky's head guaranteeing his unconsciousness and disappeared just before the police arrived.

Steve and Sam stared through the glass window where Bucky lay strapped to a hospital bed.  His left arm resembled nothing less than a twisted heap of scrap metal.  Whatever version of the serum he'd been given was working well enough that he was no longer in danger of dying.  The bruises on his face were almost gone.  A nurse went in to check an IV drip that was administering a constant stream of powerful sedatives.  Four armed men stood guard, watching her every move.  Sharon walked up behind them,

"He says it wasn't him.  The bombing.  He says he never left Bucharest."  Steve stares at her.  Then back at Bucky.  Sam discretely moves away to give them some privacy.

"They shot him," he mutters darkly.

"We don't know if it was him in Vienna yet Steve.  But it _was_ him in Washington.  And there have been deaths attributed to the Winter Soldier for decades.  A lot of them."  Steve thinned his lips and stared at Bucky. 

"It was Hydra.  They brainwashed him somehow.  He didn't recognise me in Washington.  Not at first.  He didn't even know his own name."

"Yes," Sharon agreed.  "He also killed people.  He tried to kill Nick."

"Not his fault!" Steve cried.

"No, not his fault Steve," Sharon said softly, "but those people are just as dead.  They're right to take precautions.  He's very dangerous."  Steve swallowed.  Then looked back at his friend.  A man with neatly combed back dark hair and a large brown satchel was trying to get the armed guard to leave the room.  Sharon pulled a small radio off her belt.

"Who is that?" she asked briskly.  One of the guards in the room looked across at them and answered into his own handset.

"A psychiatrist sent by the UN to interview Barnes.  Wants us to leave the room so he can speak with the prisoner confidentially."  Sharon frowned. 

"Now?  Barnes is barely conscious."

"Yeah."

"I don't like it," she murmured. She lifted the radio back to her lips, "Detain him until I can check ..."  The lights went out.  Some sunlight was coming through the heavily tinted windows but everything in the central part of the hospital was cast in deep shadow.  Crashing and then gunshots sounded from the Bucky's room.  Steve could make out figures struggling inside.  He was almost at the doorway when the back up generator kicked in and the lights flickered back on.  One of the guards was down and another was nursing a wounded arm but the other two had the struggling psychiatrist prone on the floor.  Sam and Sharon almost crashed into Steve rushing to help.

"What the hell just happened?" Sam gasped. 

                                                                                 ***************************************************************

"His name is Zemo," Sharon said softly, handing Steve a plain manilla folder.  Tony was off in a corner of the room talking quietly on his phone.  Natasha hovered about three feet away.  Close enough to eavesdrop on Tony's conversation.  Far enough away to keep an eye an everyone in the the room.  Although as far as Steve could tell, she was mainly watching him.  He opened the folder and started to read.

"Sokovia," he said softly.  Tony's head snapped around to stare at him.  Steve sighed.  Ultron had been Tony's greatest mistake.  And now his guilt was leading him into making more, possibly even worse mistakes - like the Accords.  Steve kept reading.  Zemo was not a good man but he had lost his entire family when Sokovia fell. 

"What did he want with Bucky?" Steve asked out loud.

"We don't know yet?" Sharon answered.

"The Romanian police just found the real doctor dead in his hotel room," Tony advised sombrely, moving to join them. "They also found a mask.  Very high tech.  Looks exactly like Barnes." It took a moment for the significance of that to register.

"Vienna," Steve bit out. "It was Zemo." Tony nodded.

"Looks like it."

"Why?  Bucky didn't have anything to do with Sokovia."  Tony frowned.

"It kicked off an international manhunt.  Barnes's picture was everywhere.  No one knew where the Winter Soldier was.  Now they do."

"Bucky is not ... ," Steve started.

"He is," Tony disagreed, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.  "He's also a US citizen.  A war hero.  A victim of torture and brainwashing.  And almost certainly the longest held prisoner of war in goddamned history."  Tony watched him and waited.   Steve sighed. Then gave a reluctant nod.

"I think I can get Barnes transferred to a US psychiatric facility for assessment and treatment. The fact that it's looking like he's not responsible for Vienna should swing it. The biggest holdup is the Romanian government. Property damage wasn't widespread but some of the police officers were seriously injured. One mightn't make it. Two others will probably have some form of permanent disability."

"They were trying to kill him," Steve bit out.  Tony studied him for a moment then said,

"Yeah, they were." Which is one of the things I've been highlighting to the Romanian government. I've also reminded them that they were dealing with an enhanced being who has never faced a trial and they didn't call us. If Rhodey, Vision and I had moved to capture him instead the likelihood is no one would have been hurt. Not the police. Not the public. And not Barnes. Romania is one of the 117 countries who signed the Accords."

"Then why didn't they... ?" Steve trailed off. Tony nodded.

"Because of your history with Barnes. They thought you, the team, might be ... compromised." Tony held his gaze for a long moment. Whatever he saw, he didn't comment on. His phone beeped and he lifted it quickly back to his ear.

"Stark." He listened intently, nodded a few times, then murmured "Thank you." He put the phone away and turned back to Steve and the others.

"Okay, just one thing and we've got a deal."

"One thing," Steve echoed, a sick certainty settling in his stomach. "They want us to sign the Accords. That's their price, isn't it Tony." The genius billionaire was silent. 

"Dammit Tony," Steve muttered.  "They just want to control us. And they're willing to use anyone or anything including Bucky to do it. Can't you see?" Tony looked at him blankly for thirty infuriating seconds then said quietly,

"I'm gonna put in $10 million towards medical expenses, rehab and disability settlements and property damage. That's it. That's the price." He typed a few buttons on his phone.  "Done.  Friday is sending you three options for secure psychiatric facilities where Barnes can go pending assessment. Ross wanted him to go with the military but I've managed to veto that."  

"Veto?" Sam queried. 

"Yeah," Tony said.  "The upside of some of us signing the Accords is that we've got a voice about what happens to our members. Two seats on the regulations committee, rights of appeal, right to seek legal counsel,  that sort of thing."

"Bucky isn't a member," Steve pointed out sternly.

"I know," Tony sighed.  "And he doesn't have any obligation to become one.  But by arguing he he has the potential to become one in the future I've been able to get him most of the protections a member would have on an interim basis."  Steve frowned.  He didn't like it.  Politics and technicalities.

"Clever," Natasha noted, with a solemn nod. "One hand on the wheel."

Tony shook his head.  Steve suddenly realised how tired he looked under the tailored suit, immaculate hair and tinted glasses.  His other armour.

"I hate all this," Tony murmured. "Right up there with senate hearings and board meetings.  But someone's gotta do it."  He turned to look at Steve.

"We get him home, then work out the rest, yeah?"

Home.  Steve nodded.  Tony pulled his phone back out. 

"I've got a few things to organise," he murmured.  He glanced through the large glass window into Bucky's room.  "And an arm to build by the look of things."

"You think you can fix it?" Steve asked hopefully. 

"Nah," Tony smirked.  "I'll make him a better one.  I'm also thinking this new invention I've got might help with the brainwashing."

"That's great Tony," Steve breathed. "Thank you."  The genius shrugged like he hadn't just offered to do the impossible,

"It's what I"m good at.  Fixing things."

A door opened down the corridor.  Two men in army uniforms pulled a handcuffed and shackled Zemo out between them.  Four more armed guards fell into formation around the trio.  Zemo looked across and saw their group watching him.

"Stark!  Tony Stark!" he called.  "Central Station.  Locker 56n.  Go take a look."  The two nearest guards forced him to turn away towards the elevators.

"16 December 1991, Stark!" Zemo shouted over his shoulder.  "They lied about your family!  Rogers lied." 

"What the hell?" Sam muttered.  Natasha frowned, then looked sharply at Steve.  And Tony?  Tony watched Zemo's group all the way to the elevator and then until the elevator doors closed.

 

_Now - you can believe that Tony would come back and try to attack a helpless and captured Barnes. I don't think that's likely.  If Steve's standing there when he watches the video, which I think he probably would be, he'll likely wear a punch. Or five. But he's a big boy. He can take it._

_Whether Tony still pays millions and bends over backwards to help Barnes - not so sure?  Probably, yes once he's cooled down._

_Whether he trusts and forgives Steve - I'm not so sure._

 

 


	2. Clint & Laura Barton

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't understand Clint in Civil War. At all. Cap before Tony - I can see that. But Natasha is his best friend and he doesn't talk to her before choosing sides?

Clint closed the door on Lila's bedroom and wandered to stand in the doorway to Nate's.  Laura was singing softly.  His youngest's eyes were already heavy and drooping.  He smiled and moved over to Cooper's room.  The door was closed.  He rapped lightly.  


"Come in?"  He opened the door a crack.  Cooper had his bedside lamp on and was reading a baseball magazine.  


"Lights out Coop.  School in the morning."  


"Okay Dad." As the lamp was clicked off the phone started ringing.  Clint hurried out to pick it up before Nate was disturbed.  


He didn't recognise the number.  


"Hello?"  


"Clint."  


"Steve!  What's going on over there?  Are you okay?"  Clint heard Steve draw in a long hard breath.  


"Bucky had nothing to do with Vienna.  He wasn't even there.  Berlin was a different story.  There's this guy.  He somehow knows how to trigger the Winter Soldier.  He came in pretending to be a UN psychiatrist and made Bucky break out of the holding area.  Clint, he was after information.  Bucky told me Hydra made five more winter soldiers.  And this guy knows where they are now.  We've got to stop him.  We could really do with your help."  Clint nodded.  


"Okay.  Right.  What about Nat and Tony?"  


"They signed the Accords.  The soldiers are in Siberia.  They'd have to get approval from the UN, especially the Russians.  And this guy's already got a head start."   Clint frowned.  


"Yeah, I can see how that might hold things up ..."  


"And Clint."  And there was something in Steve's tone that made Clint tense even more.

"Yeah?"

"We could do with Wanda's help too."  

"Cap ... she's got enough trouble at the moment."

"Yeah, I know.  But five winter soldiers Clint.  And I can't just call her.  Tony's using Vision to keep her confined to the compound."

"He's what?"  Clint's voice grew quiet and dangerous.

"He said it was because of Lagos but Clint, she didn't do anything wrong."

"Damn straight.  I spoke to Nat.  Wanda _saved_ lives that day.  It's unfair as hell what their saying about her."

"It is.  And it's unfair I have to ask you both to help now.  But this is more important than us.  The damage five winter soldiers could do is ..."  


"Yeah," Clint agreed.  He took a deep breath.  "Look, I need to talk to Laura.  How can I get to you?"  


"We're still in Germany."  Steve rattled off a new number.  Clint committed it to memory.

"Right.  I'll call you."

"Thanks Clint."  He pressed the phone to end the call and looked up into Laura's worried eyes.  


"Cap needs help.  There isn't much time."  Laura nodded.  


"Nat?"   


"She can't legally do anything without UN approval.  Because of the Accords.  In fact, if it all goes south, she'll probably be on the other side."  Laura bit her lip.  


"Clint ..."  


"If I talk to her I might wind up compromising her," he said softly.  


"And if you end up fighting against her?  She's your best friend," Laura pointed out. "Talk to her."  Clint nodded.  Something eased in his chest.  


"Yeah."  


  


  


Clint disconnected from Tasha.

"Steve didn't tell them about the fake doctor and the other Winter Soldiers.  Not a word.  She's ringing Wanda to find out what's going on at the compound."  He scrubbed a hand over his face.  


"Steve's wanted now, isn't he?" Laura asked, placing a mug of coffee on the table next to him.  Clint nodded.  "So, if you go ..."  


"If I go, and no one finds out I was there, then I'm fine to just come home."  


"But ..." Laura said quietly.  


"Yeah ... but," Clint agreed.  The phone next to him chimed.  He looked at the screen and pressed accept,  


"Tasha?"  He listened in silence, his face stony.  He was silent for nearly thirty seconds, then said "Okay."  He put the phone back and sighed.  


"I've  given her the green light to tell Stark about the winter soldiers."  


"And Wanda?"  Clint pulled a face.  


"She wanted to go into town and Vision stopped her.  Just said Stark wanted her to stay put. And Wanda didn't push it. She's still feeling really bad about Lagos. Nat says there's been protests.  And hate mail.  A lot of hate mail.  Tony's worried but didn't want to scare her.  Also, there's been murmuring in official channels that she's not a US citizen."  


"They're going to deport her?" Laura asked, concerned.  


"Maybe.  With her history, maybe worse."  Laura bit her lip.  


"And if she gets involved with this business and it all goes sour ..."  


"Yeah."  Clint sunk his head into his hands.  


"What did Nat say about the winter soldiers?"  


"She's talking to Tony now."  His phone chimed again.  


"Yeah?"  He listened then nodded.  


"Tony's chasing down the doctor who was with Bucky right now.  If anything comes up hinky they'll go to Siberia.  Vision's agreed to go too but Nat's recommending Wanda stays home.  Tony hasn't spoken to Rhodes yet."  He looked at her contemplatively, "They could do with some back up."  


She studied him for a moment,  


"Do you want to go?"  He shook his head.   


"I'm retired."  


"Then don't," she concluded.  "Not this time.  Stay out of it."  He gave her a half smile then looked down at the phone in his hand and sighed.  


"Now I gotta tell Steve."  She kissed his cheek and went into the kitchen to wash up and make sandwiches.  With any luck, they were going waterskiing in the morning.  


  


  


  


  



	3. Thor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a very funny video starring Chris Hemsworth on the web showing Thor's sojourn in Australia during the Civil War. I suspect when Ragnarok comes out we'll find he wasn't have such an easy time. 
> 
> But if he had shown up ... whose side would he have been on?

"Underoos," Tony calls.  Moments later Spiderman snatches Cap's shield.  Suddenly, the sky darkens and lightening begins to flash.

"You're kidding me," Tony whispers.  A particularly loud thunderbolt clashes directly above them, the accompanying flash temporarily blinding everyone.  When their vision clears Thor rises majestically from a circle of smoking runes, red cape billowing gracefully, armour gleaming.

"Friends!" he booms.  "I saw you ready for battle and I am here to fight at your side.  Where is the enemy?"  Tony and Cap exchange a look.

"Do you want to ... " Tony offers politely.  Steve frowns then gives a reluctant nod.

"Thor," he begins firmly.

"Yes Steven," Thor fixes him with the devout and rap attention of a gigantic golden retriever. 

"There is no enemy, as such.  Not here.  We were about to fight one another."  Thor looks puzzled for a moment.  Then his face suddenly clears.

"Oh, I see.  A training exercise.  Excellent!  Am I too late to participate?  Which team is most in need of assistance?"

"Not a training exercise big guy," Tony advises sombrely.  Thor frowns again.

"You mean to do battle in earnest?  Friends!  You cannot truly wish to cause one another harm?"  Steve sighs.

"We don't want to," he states.  "But we have no choice.  There is a very real threat and we urgently need to get there to head it off."  Thor looks between the two groups.

"I do not understand."

"Tony and the others are here to stop us," Steve advises staring sternly at Ironman.

"To arrest you," Tony clarifies.  "What Steve's neglected to add is that he, Wilson and Barnes are all wanted by various governments and the UN Joint Counter-Terrorism Taskforce.  If they don't surrender within the next twelve hours the next order will be that they be killed on sight."  Thor looks between them with a solemn and unhappy expression on his face.

"You do not dispute this Steven?" he asks respectfully.  Steve shakes his head.

"No Thor, I don't.  And I accept Tony's word about the kill order.  But there are five winter soldiers out there.  The man who triggered Bucky in Berlin wants to control them and now he knows where they are.  We have to get there as soon as possible."

"Wait!"  Tony interrupts.  "You were serious, about the winter soldiers?"

"Of course I was serious," Steve huffs exasperated.  "This man has a book, a Hydra manual for controlling the winter soldiers.  It's why he triggered Bucky.  To force him to tell where they're being kept."  Tony stares at him.

"What man?"  Steve blinks.

"That would seem a reasonable question friend Steven," Thor offers.  Steve frowns then licks his lips. 

"The psychiatrist the UN sent to interview Bucky in Berlin.  He deliberately triggered Buck then asked him for the location of the Winter Soldiers.  He's headed there right now."

"Headed where?" Thor asks politely.

"Siberia," Bucky rasps.  "An abandoned missile silo."

"Got all that Fri," Tony murmurs.  Friday responds loudly enough for everyone to hear.

"The psychiatrist selected by the UN to interview Sargeant Barnes was Dr Theo Broussard.  Transmitting his photo and C.V. now Boss."  Tony retracts the armour's gloves and flicks open a blue holographic page with a large picture of a middle aged man.

"That's not him.  That's a different guy to the one in Berlin," Steve declares.  He glances at Bucky who nods his agreement.

"Fri - get some security footage of the guy who was with Barnes in Berlin, start a facial recognition search so we can find out who he really is.  Also, trace the movements of Dr Broussard after Barnes broke out."

"Yes Boss."  A few moments later.  "Dr Broussard has not yet checked out of his hotel.  Should I send someone from hotel management to check on him?"  Tony considers.

"If he is behind this he could be dangerous.  Can you access CCTV footage from the corridors and lifts?  See if he's actually still there?"

"Doing it now."  Tony glanced across at Steve.  "Could have done with this information a lot sooner Rogers," he notes sharply.

"The Accords ..." Cap begins.

"Friend Tony," Thor intervenes, "what is done cannot be undone.  Many the time I wish I could alter my own past decisions.  We can only work with what we have now.  Hopefully, your wondrous Lady Friday will still be able to assist."  Tony raises an eyebrow.

"Pretty slick there Point Break."  Thor smiles. 

"I hope that as a Prince of Asgard I have learned something of diplomacy Man of Iron."

"You can call me Lady Friday any day of the week Your Highness," Friday's Irish lilt fills the air.  

"He's too old for you baby girl," Tony chides with a soft smile. "Broussard?"

"Never returned to his room after the breakout Boss."  Tony stares at Steve.

"Well that's not suspicious."

"Boss, I have some screen shots from before he left."

"Okay."  Tony flicks a new holographic image up.  

"That's him!" Bucky growls. 

"Boss, two men went into that room when he checked in.  This man, and the real Dr Broussard." Friday offers.  "Only the imposter came out." 

"Shit," Tony mutters.  He stares at Steve. 

"Connect me to Ross," he says finally.

"Yes Boss."

"Tony ..." Steve begins warily.  Ironman just holds up one finger and waits for Ross to pick up.   

"Everett Ross,"

"Everett, I've just got word that the UN psychiatrist who was with Barnes at the time he broke out was an imposter.  Someone needs to get over to Dr Broussard's hotel asap.  We also need to put a watch on all airports for this guy.  I'm sending you his image now." 

"Mr Stark? Wait! What? Dr Broussard? Hang on, where did you get that image from?"

"I hacked your security system of course."  Tony winces as irate ranting sounds from the other side of the line until he says loudly, "Everett, a wise man once told me you can't alter the past.  You can only do the best you can with what you have now."  He smirks at Thor who grins back.  "And what we have now is a guy with access to enough information to trigger Barnes into becoming the Winter Soldier getting past _your_ security.  And then ordering him to disclose the location where **five more winter soldiers** are being kept."  For a considerable time only silence comes from the other end of the line. 

"We together on this Everett?"

"We are." 

Great!  He's probably heading towards Siberia so I'd concentrate on flights that get him into Russia.  I'm dealing with something right now but let me know what they find in that hotel room, okay?"  The call disconnects. 

Which leaves the Avengers staring at one another across the tarmac.  Suddenly a man in a red suit and a bizzare silver and black helmet blinks into existence beside Spiderman.  The kid leaps over twenty feet in the air and lands on top of a nearby truck.

"What sourcery is this?" declares Thor, lifting his hammer, poised to strike.

"Woah!  Woah!  No threat man!  No sourcery!  I'm with them!" the interloper gabbles, pointing at Steve's team.  Thor glances at Steve who nods.  The Asgardian relaxes his guard, slightly.

"If you are not a magic user, how came you to teleport here?" he asks warily.

"I've been here all along," the man explains, pressing a button on the side of his helmet to open it's face.  "This suit lets me shrink to the size of an Ant."  He pauses, then straightens his back and puffs his chest slightly, "I'm Antman."  Thor considers.

"If you are truly a friend of Friend Steven then it is my pleasure to meet you, Man of Ant."

"Antman?" Tony queries Steve, with a raised eyebrow. 

"We figured we'd need help against the supersoldiers," Cap responds with a shrug.  Tony looks at where Shrink Guy was is now standing next to a returned and far more composed Spiderkid.

"Insect-based superheroes, who knew?"

"Spiders are actually arachnids ..." begins the young man in red and blue when Friday chimes out

"Boss!  I think I've found him.  98.8% match on CCTV imaging."  Tony opens a new hologram.  The photo is clearly Dr Broussard's impersonator.

"That's him," Bucky confirms.

"Helmut Zemo," Friday announces, her voice projecting loudly from the Ironman suit.  Member of EKO Scorpion, a Sokovian covert kill squad."  The AI pauses then states, "His whereabouts have been unknown for over a year.  His father, wife and son were killed when Sokovia fell."  Tony closes his eyes.

"Damn."

"Bucky had nothing to do with Sokovia," Steve notes.  "So why target him?  What's he planning to do with those winter soldiers?"  

"This," Natasha says softly. 

Tony and Cap both turn to look at her.  Louder, she says, " _This_ ," gesturing at all of them lined up against one another.  "He blames the Avengers for the death of his family.  _This_ is what he wants.  Us, fighting.  Destroying ourselves."  Tony nods slowly. 

"Divide and conqueor."

They all ponder the possibilities in heavy silence.

"What now, friends?" Thor asks.

"We have to go.  We have to stop him," Steve asserts.

"You need to turn yourself in," Ironman counters.

"Tony ..." Steve begins, but Thor intervenes.

"Steven, what crime are you and your friends accused of."  Captain America sighs.

"Bucky's a suspect in a bombing in Vienna.  But he didn't do it."

"You are certain?" the man in the black cat suit interrupts, addressing Bucky directly.  "Perhaps you were 'triggered' again."

"I'm certain.  I wasn't even in the country."  The Black Panther nods and gestures for Steve to go on.

"I found out that the police had been ordered to kill Bucky rather than try to take him alive.  I intervened.  Sam backed me up.  People got hurt.  The tactical team.  And during the chase, maybe some civillians."  Thor nods.

"He is your shield brother."

"He's my brother," Steve states emphatically.  He exchanges a long look with Bucky.

"We were all in custody when Bucky got triggered," Steve concludes.  He broke out.  Sam and I tried to stop him and in the end caught him.  But we didn't turn him in."  Thor nods again.  He turns to Tony.

"Friend Tony, what can be done?"

"If Barnes is cleared of the bombing, I think we can work on the rest.  There was a deal on the table involving the Accords.  It's probably gone after what happened in Berlin but I can ask."

"What deal?" Sam asks at the same time as Steve declares,

"I won't sign the Accords."  Tony nods.

"Then you'll all have to submit to the Romanian legal system.  If there was a kill order, we can use that to argue self defence.  Especially if it turns out Barnes wasn't responsible for Vienna.  We can also ask why the government didn't ask the Avengers for help.  It would have been a damned sight safer for everyone.  I'll get my legal team on it.  Everyone else on Team Cap should be in the clear.  They just have to go home."

Antman raises his hand.  His actual hand.  Tony blinks and then, with an amused quirk of his lips, gestures for the man in the red suit to speak up.

"I may have violated parole coming here."  Ironman gives an inelegant snort then glances at Cap who bites his lip.

" _May_ have.  I'm not really interested in theoreticals Antguy," Tony said waving his hands expressively.  "But _theoretically_ , my jet will be taking Spiderkid, Maximoff and the old retired dude with the bow and arrow home.  If you're as small entering the US as I suspect you were leaving it, then _theoretically_ you won't even need to go through customs."

Antman smiles.

"Sweet."

"Boss?" 

"Yes?"

"They found Broussard.  In the hotel bath tub."  Tony nods grimly. "They also found a mask.  It closely resembles Sargeant Barnes."  Tony glances across at Steve.  "And Boss, I've got Everett Ross on the line."

"Put him through."

"Mr Stark?"

"Director Ross."

"A man we believe to be Helmut Zemo has been apprehended boarding a plane to Moscow.  He has a number of items in his possession including a red notebook with a black star on its cover and a mission file."

"What mission?"  There was a brief silence.

"I think that's a matter best discussed in private Mr Stark."  Tony frowns. 

"We still need to get to Siberia and check out the winter soldier story?  Can it wait until we get back?"  Everett Ross hesitates, then says softly,

"It can wait."

 

As they are walking towards the Quinjet, Natasha falls in beside Thor.

"Very smooth."  He raises his eyebrows and asks innocently,

"Smooth?"  She takes hold of his elbow and on tippy toe, gently kisses him on the cheek. 

"Thank you," she whispers.  His eyes soften.  He nods.

"Anytime, Lady Natasha."

 

 


	4. Peggy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wrestled with this chapter a bit. Partly because I was struggling to decide which of two scenarios to run with. One required a much greater departure from the storyline but was interesting. In the end I decided to do both and contrast the two outcomes. So ...
> 
> The timing of Peggy's death was terrible for the Avengers. But very convenient for Zemo ...

_It's chilly tonight_ nursing assistant Denise Rowe decides as she pulls the small sash window shut and pulls the curtains closed. A small movement catches her eye and she glances across at the bed.

"Oscar?"  Rich purring emanates from the furry bump curled into the resident's side.  Denise turns concerned eyes to the elderly woman asleep on the bed.  The name above the bed reads "Margaret Carter-Sousa" but they all know her as Peggy.  Peggy's dementia is pretty advanced.  Even on good days, she is very confused.  When she first arrived she used to get quite a few visitors.  Now only her husband Daniel comes to see her.  He visits every morning like clockwork.  Sadly, Peggy doesn't know his name anymore.  On her worst days, she barely acknowledges his presence. 

Denise bends down to meet a pair of gleaming green eyes.

"Is Peggy unwell?"  The ginger moggy rolls onto his side so that his full length is pressed against Peggy's hip and upper leg.  He gently bats a friendly paw in her direction.  Oscar is the nursing home's resident sock thief and cuddle junkie.  He also has a knack for knowing when residents are seriously unwell.  People he curls up to sleep beside have a tendency to be dead within twenty four hours. Denise knows Peggy has a DNR (do not resuscitate) on her file.  She studies the sleeping woman.  Listens intently to her breathing.  There might be a little crackle there.  Chest infection?  She wonders if she should call the home's nurse, or if perhaps it would be kinder to just let nature finally take its course.

 

                                                     ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

_Later at the Avengers compound ...._

 

Ross has left and now its just them - the Avengers.  Steve's team.  But are they a team anymore? 

"I have an equation," states Vision.

'Oh, this will clear things up," jibes Sam.

"In the eight years since Mr Stark announced himself as Ironman, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially.  And over the same period the number of potentially world ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."

"Are you saying it's our fault?" asks Steve frowning.

"I'm saying there may be a causality," Vision replies. "Our very strength invites challenge.  Challenge incites conflict.  Conflict ... breeds catastrophe.  _Oversight_.  Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Boom," Rhodey says softly.

"Tony," Natasha queried, "you're being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal."

"It's because he's already made up his mind," Steve states, not quite keeping the accusation out of his voice.  Tony pulls himself up off the couch he has been reclining on.

"Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache.  That's what's going on Cap," he says moving into the kitchen and pouring himself a cup of coffee, all the while avoiding everyone's eyes.  It's just pain  It's discomfort."  Then he irritably gripes about coffee grounds in the food disposal.

And then he tells them about Charlie Spencer.  And Steve understands because Sokovia, Sokovia still haunts all of them.  But where Wanda has channeled that lesson into a firm resolve to make amends, Tony has allowed himself to be consumed by guilt. 

"There's no decision making process here," Tony concludes.  "We need to be put in check.  Whatever form that takes I'm game.  If we can't accept limitations then we're boundariless.  We're no better than _the bad guys."_

"Tony," Steve says calmly, "someone dies on your watch you don't give up."

"Who says we're giving up?" Tony shot back.

"We are if we don't take responsibility for our actions.  This document just shifts the blame."

"I'm sorry Steve," Rhodey responds, "but that, that is dangerously arrogant.  This is the United Nations we're talking about.  It's not the World Security Council, it's not SHIELD, it's not Hydra."

"No, but it's run by people with agendas and agendas change," Steve states.

"That's good," Tony asserts striding back to the table.  "That's why I am here.  When I realised what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands I shut it down and stopped manufacturing."

"Tony," Steve interposes, "you chose to do that.  If we sign this, we surrender our right to choose.  What if this panel sends us somewhere we don't want to go.  What if there's somewhere we need to go and they don't let us.  We may not be perfect, but the safest hands are still our own."

"If we don't do this now," Tony says gravely, "it's going to be done to us later.  That's the fact.  That won't be pretty."

"You're saying they would come for me," Wanda says quietly, worry and concern evident on her face.

"We would protect you," Vision assures.

"Maybe Tony's right," Natasha states with uncharacteristic hesitation, "If we have one hand on the wheel, if we keep one hand on the wheel we can still steer.  If we take it off ..."

"Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?" Sam points out.

"I''m just reading the terrain," Natasha replies.  "We have made some very public mistakes.  We need to win their trust back."

"Focus up.  I'm sorry.  Did I just mishear you ..." Tony asks.  " ... or did you just agree with me?"

"Oh, I want to take it back now," Natasha moans.

"No, no Tony says quickly.  You can't retract it.  He turns and starts walking away calling out, "Thank you.  Unprecedented.  Okay, case closed, I win."

Steve's phone buzzes.  He glances down to see a text from Sharon,

 

_I'll be in Vienna.  You?"_

 

He shuts off the phone without responding.

"They're signing the Accords in three days," Rhodey notes with quiet authority.  "With or without us.  Maybe before making up our minds we should read through it tonight, then talk it through tomorrow."  It's makes good sense.  Everyone nods.

 

They spend the next two days arguing back and forth.  Wanda again expresses concern about her position.  Tony reluctantly advises that he's been screening a lot of hate mail and even threats since Lagos.  Worse, there's been some muttering that Wanda's visa should be cancelled."

"It's just posturing," Tony assures her.  "But you need to keep a low profile until this is sorted out."

"And if I don't sign?" she asks, stress winding through her voice.  Tony sighs.

"Your right to reside in the US is based upon you're work with the Avengers.  If you don't sign, you'll have to retire.  I can try to get you a visa on other grounds ... but with your history with Hydra ... I'm not gonna lie.  I couldn't guarantee anything."  Wanda stares ahead and gives a shaky nod.  He sits down opposite her.  "If you were sent back to Sokovia, there's a good chance that you would be prosecuted."  She meets his eyes.

"For Ultron?"  He nods.  Steve scowls.

"So you're okay with them backing Wanda into a corner?" he demands. 

"I'm not _okay_ with it!  It's the facts Rogers," Tony snaps back  "I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.  She needs to know."  They are on opposite sides of the table glaring at one another. 

"The Accords are getting signed, no matter what we do," Tony states.

"What if we all say no," Cap argues.  "Stand together."  Tony glances at him and starts pacing.  He nods.

"Okay, let's play that out.  We all say no.  Link arms and start singing _We shall not be moved._ "  Nat rolls her eyes.  "That's our move," Tony continues.  "Then it's up to those 117 governments who are prepared to sign the Accords to make theirs.  The Avengers rejecting the Accords is not gonna play well in the media.  But they'll look even worse if they buckle and ditch the idea completely. Weak.  So the Accords get signed.  They'll find 'heroes' to sign soon enough.  Not us, but someone.  They've got the whole world to work with after all.  People are going to call it a joke.  But they'll also be looking at us and saying, 'why didn't you sign?'  The governments of the world, particularly the US government, are going to be very unhappy.  And that's when they'll exert pressure on us."  He stares at Natasha, "You know what they did to Bruce?"  She nods solemnly.  "Wanda's an obvious place to start," he continues, giving the girl an apologetic glance.  "At best she's deported and they do their best to ensure she's arrested the second she steps foot on Sokovian soil.  More likely, they order us to disband and try to pick her up away from the public eye.  Given the backlash over Lagos they may just do it openly"

"We won't let that happen," Steve asserts.

"No, we will not," Vision agrees.

"No ... we won't," Tony concurs softly, looking at the young woman who hated him so much she allowed Hydra to mutate her DNA in the hopes of destroying him.

"So," he continues in a loud, bright voice, "there's a fight.  And we become fugitives.  They'll come after my assets."  Sam scoffs quietly.

"Which includes the Ironman suits, the quinjets, my tech and all of your equipment, including your wings" he states to Sam, "and your shield," he tells Cap.  Steve looks shocked.  "Dad made it," Tony continues with a small smirk, "although there is an argument about how he got hold of the vibranium so ... Wakanda might just wind up with it.  Anyhow," he rubs his hands together and looks around at the now speechless group, "gotta catch us first, right?  So, where do we go?" he asks. "Sam?"  The airman blinks.  Tony shakes his head, "No?"  He turns to Steve.  "Cap?  Any ideas?"  Steve frowns.  He and Tony exchange a long hard look.  The billionaire nods.  You're right of course.  The way things have been the last few years I've got safe houses.  Lots of them.  All round the world.  We could hide out in one of those.  Constantly move from place to place, keep them guessing."  He paused.  "Maybe I should buy an island.  And I can build a secret base underneath the swimming pool.  And a whole lot of state of the art transports for going in the air, or water.  Even space.  I'll call it Starktonia," he finishes brightly.

They all stare at him in silence.

"Except even I don't have enough money to do that.  Well maybe, but not once they freeze my assets a lot of which are tied up with Stark Industries and not easily liquidated.  And they sure as hell won't give me the time I'd need to set it up.  So, yeah, back to hopping from safe house to safe house.  Except, while we're doing that, how are we going to show the world we're there when they need us?" he asks.

"We don't," Rhodey says flatly.  "We probably won't even know there is a need unless we see it on TV." 

"Yeah," Tony agreed.  "Though the upside is we'll probably get to watch the second string fall on their asses.  Or save the day."  He shrugged.  "You never know."

"They'll need us," Steve says confidently.  Tony nods. 

"Yeah, I think they will," he says quietly.  Wanda shifts uncomfortably in her chair.  "And it might be as soon as next week," he continues.  "Or it might be years down the track.  Years we need to spend preparing, not running."  They all consider that in silence.  Tony didn't fight any more.  Non-combatant.  But his role was still critically important.  And more than any of them he needed access to money and technology to work to his full potential. 

"I could leave," Wanda says softly.  "I could disappear.  Then they would not be able to use me against you."  There is a horrified silence.  Steve shakes his head. 

"Absolutely not."

"You are not the only one who is vulnerable to pressure," Vision says calmly.  She looks at him, eyes glistening.  "For example.  My hearing is exceptional," he advises.  "I hear a great many things people do not intend me to.  Whilst none have addressed me so directly, there are quite a few people, even in the Avengers support team, who refer to me as _it_."

"I want names," Tony snarls.  When Vision doesn't answer Tony strides up to him and puts a hand on his shoulder.  "I'm serious.  I don't want that type of person any where near me or mine.  You are not an _it_."  Vision smiles fondly.

"But am I a person?" he asks.  Tony frowns.

"Of course you are." 

"A person with legally recognised rights," Vision gently persists.  Tony looks deep into his eyes and asserts with every ounce of his will,

"You are."

"They want you to sign the Accords?" Rhodey asks.  Vision nods.  "Then 117 countries agree," he concludes.  "Oh, and by the way, so do I."  Vision smiles.

"Thank you Colonel Rhodes."

"You're welcome."

"But if I do not sign the Accords?" Vision queries.  "What is my legal status then?"  There is another uncomfortable silence.  He turns to Tony,

"I suspect you have already considered this Mr Stark."  Tony nods.  "Then why did you not raise it?"

"Because you're entitled to make this decision for your own reasons.  Your own conscience."

"We could always go into hiding together?" Wanda suggests with a hint of a smile.  Vision smiles back.

"Well, I've made up my mind," Rhodey states.  "There's things in here that need work, but there's room for change and if I don't sign then I'm not gonna be part of that solution.   I'm gonna sign."

"So am I," Tony says quietly.  Steve shakes his head.

"I can't.  I just don't agree with it."  Tony walks over to the window. 

"I'm with Steve," Sam declares.

"I will sign," Vision says quietly.  Wanda looks at him with large eyes.  "But Accords or not, if they come for you, I will protect you."

"Damn straight," Tony says solemnly, turning to face them.

"I don't know," Wanda says softly.  "I don't know what to do?"

"You don't have to make up your mind straight away," Tony advises.  "If enough of us sign, and you're still considering it, then I'm sure there'll be some sort of grace period ..."  He trails off then stiffens.  His eyes light up.  "That could be the way to go."

"They're not going to wait forever Tony," Steve cautions.  Tony walks back to the table.

"Neither am I," he asserts.  "I'll sign, on the provision that the entire document is to be reviewed after six months with input from the Avengers.  In the meantime, you work the other side," he says, looking at Steve.

"The other side?"  Tony nods.

"They want you.  Captain America.  War hero.  All virtue and principles.  They want you.  But even more, they really don't want you criticising the Accords.  Because people are going to listen.  I work on the problems from the inside.  You work on them from the outside.  I'll get you a legal and PR team.  You do interviews, blogs.  Talk about your concerns.  What you want changed."

"Blogs?" Steve asks puzzled.  Tony grins.

"What do you say?"

 

 

_Scenario One_

Vienna is bombed.  Steve is there.  Sharon tells him about Bucky.  Bucharest happens.  Steve, Bucky, Sam and T'Challa are taken to Berlin.

"If you sign the Accords this all goes away and I can get Barnes transferred to a psychiatric facility stateside."  Steve looks pained.  Tony sighs.  "Not the way I wanted things to happen either but you and Sam are looking at serious time.  And I can't guarantee what's going to happen to Barnes."

Steve and Sam sign.

Then Bucky breaks out. 

When Bucky wakes, he tells them about being triggered.  And about the other Winter Soldiers. 

"Should we tell Stark?" Sam asks.  Steve thinks about the piece of paper they both signed.  About the deal they had before Bucky broke out.

"Yeah."

Bucky, Sam and Steve turn themselves in and explain.  Dr Troussard's body is found in his hotel room.  Along with the mask Zemo used to look like Bucky.  They apprehend Zemo boarding a plane for Moscow.

"What's going to happen with the Winter Soldiers?" Steve asks Everett Ross, deputy director of the Joint Counter-Terrorism Centre.

"We're going to keep them frozen for the moment.  Russia had expressed some sort of ownership.  But we reminded them that the Accords are not just about the conduct of the Avengers but also international co-operation and information sharing regarding their missions and the outcomes of missions.  It's a mess."  Steve nodded.

"Do you need anything from us?" Tony asked, halfway out the door.

"There is one more thing Mr Stark," Ross said, an old note in his voice that made Tony turn and stare at him.

"What's that?"

"When we took Zemo in he had a file and video in his possession.  It pertains to a Hydra misson that took place ..." Ross hesitates then says, "That took place on 16 December 1991."  Tony walks back into the room.

 

OR

 

_Scenario Two_

_{Because Peggy dying at the worst possible time is deeply suspicious.}_

The door to Peggy's room opens later that night.  The entrant steps inside without turning on the main light, eyes trained on the sleeping woman, and then silently closes the door behind them.  A dim light has been left on next to the woman's bedside.  It will be enough.  He moves towards the head of the bed but jumps when he's met by a pair of glowing golden eyes.  It takes a moment to realise it is only a cat.  He looks back at the woman.  Peggy Carter.  Shield legend.  One time paramour of Captain America.  And no?.  Her hair is a wispy white.  Her face fragile and shrunken.  This woman was dangerous once.  She has been propped into a semi-reclining position with three pillows under her head and upper torso.  He takes careful note of their exact configuration so he can reinstate it afterwards.  A sudden movement makes him pause.  The cat is backing away.  He watches as it thumps down to the floor and disappears into the shadows.  Then he reaches for the top pillow.

He has barely registered movement before something crashes hard into the side of his head.  Training kicks in and he quickly steps backwards away from the threat.  He just has time to recognise the target's husband ( _former SSR/Shield, advanced age, prosthetic leg)_ when one of his feet hits something soft and moving. _The cat_ his brain supplies as he falls backwards, the back of his skull cracking heavily against the corner of the bedside table.

Daniel Sousa stares at the slumped form on the ground.  A dark, thick pool of blood is already expanding from beneath the man's head.  His eyes are open and staring.  Daniel tries to lean on his metal crutch and almost falls when he realises it is severely bent from when he used it as a club.  He flops back into the chair he was keeping vigil in.  The man is wearing a generic blue uniform, like one of the cleaners.  For one dreadful moment, Daniel wonders if he has just killed an innocent staff member.  He gives his head a small shake.  No.  His instints were sound.  The man was up to no good.  With slightly shaking hands, he pulls out his phone.

 

"His name was Helmut Zemo," Tony advises waving his hand as a picture of a handsome man in his thirties dressed in military fatigues appears on the screen.  "Sokovian.  Former EKO Scorpion - which were covert death squads.  Impressive skillset including decryption and hacking, intelligence gathering and demolitions.  He dropped off the grid eighteen months ago."

"Has he gone private now?" Natasha asked quietly.  "A paid assassin."

"Possibly.  Because of Peggy's security status the UN's Joint Counter-Terrorism Taskforce is heading the investigation.  They're still trying to piece things together.  I've offered our help with anything they need."  Steve gives an approving nod.  Tony looks down and draws a deep breath.

"Zemo lost his family.  When Sokovia fell.  Wife.  Son.  Father."  The silence in the room grew deeper."  Steve's frowns.

"You think this might have been personal?"  Tony shakes his head. 

"Too early to say."  Steve frowns as he realises their short doomed romance of over seventy years ago may have endangered Peggy.

"We won't know until we find out more," Tony asserts.  Steve's mobile beeps.  He glances at the screen and stiffens.

"Steve?" Wanda asks.  

"She gone," he murmurs, clearly shocked. 

"Peggy?  What?  How?" Tony chokes.  Steve shakes his head. 

"In her sleep."  Tony rakes a hand through his hair. 

"Excuse me," Steve pushes his chair back and hurries off, needing to be alone. 

A few seconds later, Tony's phone rings.  He glances at the screen and connects the call.

"Everett?"  He listens for a few minutes then frowns.  "Hydra?"  And now all of the remaining Avengers are staring at him.

"What mission?"  He frowns.  "Everett?"  Tony pales. "I ..."  And then he seems to shut down.

"Tones?"  Rhodey is on his feet and by his friend's side in an instant.  Tony bites his lip and hands his friend the phone.  He shakily sits down staring at the carpet.

"This is Colonel James Rhodes, Director Ross," Rhodey states in his official voice.  "Tony's given me the phone.  What's going on?"  Rhodey listens in silence for over two minutes.  Half way through, his reaches out and takes hold of Tony's shoulder and hangs on.

"Thank you for letting us know so promptly."  He disconnects the call and puts the phone carefully on the table.

"He used to drive too fast.  Drink too much.  I ... ," Tony chuckles but it comes out more like a sob.  He springs unsteadily to his feet and bolts out of the room.

"Rhodes?" Natasha asks quietly.

 

 So in this reality, Vienna doesn't happen, nor does Bucharest.  Tony finds out the Winter Soldier killed his parents.  And has time to process it.  Some of the Avengers sign.  Some don't.  They keep negotiating.  They have the force of Steve's reputation to push through more progressive amendments.  Etc....

Tony doesn't hunt down Bucky.  He does what he always does when he's overwhelmed by his emotions.  He isolates himself.  Then he researches the hell out of the Winter Soldier.  And Bucky Barnes.  Then he talks to Cap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe this chapter should be called Oscar?
> 
> With scenario one, I'm implying they treat the chest infection and Peggy's death is delayed.


	5. Bruce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If he was here, do you really think he'd be on our side?

Tony lies on the couch listening to the rest of the Avengers argue about the Accords and quietly praying his brain doesn't explode.  Everything is too loud and his head is pounding.  BARF had a lot going for it but this is a definite downside.  Of course, meeting Charlie Spencer's mother hadn't helped.  Another good person dead because of him.  Because of his mistakes.

His phone pinges with a text message.  It's from an unknown number. 

_Need to talk.  Bruce._

Tony's heartrate picks up rapidly making the pounding in his head intensify.

"Tony, you're being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal," Natasha quips lightly.  

"That's because he's already made up his mind," Steve states with an unhappy expression. 

"It's a headache Cap," he advises, moving over to the kitchenette.  He quickly sends,

_One hour.  Your lab.  Access codes unchanged._

He fills a cup and quickly swallows a couple of tablets, bracing himself to talk about Charlie Spencer.

 

 

Tony is fifteen minutes early but Bruce is already waiting.

"Thaddeus Ross?" he accuses quietly as the door slides closed. 

Tony flinches.  Ross.  The billionaire likes to know who he is dealing with.  He doesn't know everything Ross has done to Bruce, but he knows enough. 

"We don't get to choose who they send," he says.

"Ross will tear this team apart," Bruce says striding forward his eyes flashing green.  "You really think he's going follow the rules?"

Tony shakes his head.

"Man's a self righteous, power hungry, amoral bastard.  Of course he's not going to follow the rules."  Bruce freezes.  His eyes still shine green. 

 "Then _why_?"  Tony sighs.  The tablets have dulled the headache but only slightly.  It's still there, throbbing.

"Because he's Secretary of State.  And we don't get to choose who they send," he repeats.  He stares at Bruce, waiting.  Banner huffs.  He turns away and starts to pace.

"Demand someone else," he growls, and Tony's sure it's not his imagination that the words come out deeper than usual.  Wonderful.  He sighs. 

"Why don't _you_?" Tony answers frankly.  Bruce turns to stare at him.  His skins has a greenish tinge.

"What?!" 

Oh, and that is definitely the Hulk peaking through.  Tony presses his lips together.  His head has gone back to pounding and the lights of the lab are painfully bright.

"I said, why don't you?"  Bruce stares at him incredulous.  Tony waits.  His adrenaline is flowing but he's also so damned tired.  He almost wants Bruce to let loose.  He closes his eyes and rubs his hand across his forehead.  No.  No he doesn't what that.  If for no other reason than if Bruce did hurt him that he'd never forgive himself. 

"Tony?"  There is still a slight vibrating echo, but Bruce's voice is approaching normal.  He looks up.  Bruce is studying him.

"Are you okay?"  And suddenly Bruce is in full "not that kind of doctor" mode.  The one where he denies medical expertise at the same time as he treats his teammates.  Tony sinks into a nearby swivel chair.  He shakes his head. 

"Tired," he says simply.  Because Bruce is one of the three people (okay two now he and Pepper are on a 'break') he can really lower his defences around.  "Head hurts," he adds.  "And Peggy died." 

"Peggy?" 

"Peggy Carter.  She helped found Shield with Dad.  She was my godmother.  And ... just an amazing woman.  She and Cap were ..." he trails off. 

"I'm sorry," Bruce says softly.  Tony closes his eyes.

"Cap's not gonna sign," he murmurs.  "Nor is Sam.  Rhodey is.  Maybe Nat and Vision.  Wanda's on the fence."

"And you?"  Tony lifts his eyes.  Bruce has come right over to him.  All traces of green are gone.

"I think we need limits.  Accountability.  No one elected us.  We don't know everything?  Hell, I'm a billionaire and a genius with my finger in pies all over the world but I don't pretend to understand what's right for everyone everywhere."  Bruce nods.  He lets out a long breath.

"Does it have to be Ross?"

"It's who they sent," Tony says simply.  He rolls backwards and forwards slowly on the chair, almost like a rocking motion.  Bruce slumps into a nearby chair.  He runs a hand through his longer and wilder than usual curls.

"I'm sorry.  That I left you to with deal everything after ..."

"Sokovia?"

"Ultron."  Tony huffs.

"Well, if it's any consolation our second child is considerably less psychopathic."  Bruce gives him a weary smile.

"How is Vision?"

"Brilliant.  Compassionate.  Shy and incredibly sure of himself all at once.  He likes to cook."  Bruce frowns.

"He doesn't have tastebuds." 

"Didn't say he was good at it," Tony grins.  "I generally let Rogers taste everything first.  You know, super soldier, healing powers."   Bruce returns the grin shyly.

"I could do with your help now," Tony says quietly.  Bruce starts shaking his head.

"I can't be near Ross.  Let's just say it wouldn't go well, for anybody.  And ..." Bruce peers into his eyes, "... I don't think I could be on the team anymore."

"Nat?" Tony asks gently.  Bruce nods.

"And Wanda."

"Yeah, I get that," Tony sighs.  "I haven't fought with the team since Sokovia.  For a whole lot of reasons.  I'm a non-combatant consultant now."  He raises an eyebrow.  "We could be sciencebros again?"  Bruce chuckles then bites his lip.

"I'd like that.  But, not here.  Not the Avengers."  Tony nods. 

"There's a place for you at Stark Industries any time you want.  And a floor at the Tower.  Now we've got the compound the rest of the team don't come by that much.  Or at all really."  Bruce watches him, digesting the full implications of that statement.  Tony stares at the desk beside him and rubs his finger along a mark on the stain.  "I've got to go to Vienna in a few days for the signing.  You're welcome to wait at the Tower.  Your lab's not been touched.  We can talk about it when I get back."  He looks up to see Bruce examining him with all too much understanding. 

"Yeah," Bruce agrees.  "I'd like that."

 

Vienna is bombed.  Bucharest happens.  Bucky breaks out of Berlin.

 

Tony is hurriedly fabricating a better suit for Spiderman, cause the kid's been facing down guns and knives in goddamned lycra, when Friday announces that Bruce is seeking access to the workshop.  Peter glances at him nervously.  Tony gestures to a door to the right which leads to a shower and toilet.  Parker bolts in and closes the door.  Tony closes any screens relating to the suit.  It should finish fabricating in less than an hour.

"Okay Fri."

The opaque glass door slides open.

"Tony?"

"Hey Brucie-bear."  Tony picks up a spare gauntlet and starts tweeking it to keep his hands and eyes busy.  Bruce looks around the workshop and lifts a questioning eyebrow.  Tony curses internally when he notices the second cup of steaming coffee sitting on the bench. 

"Are you okay?"

"Always," Tony answers absently.

"It's just I heard about ... well, Bucky Barnes?"  Tony gave a soft snort, swapping over the gauntlet for a stripped down repulsor.

"Yeah, seems Rogers wasn't the only supersoldier snapfrozen for seventy years."  Bruce settles across from him.

"Everyone okay?" 

"Nat got thrown around a bit."  Tony shrugs.  "She's fine."

"Steve and Sam haven't turned themselves in?" Bruce asks.  Tony shakes his head. "Ross can't be happy," Tony thins his lips.  "Has he issued a kill order yet?"  Tony rubs his forehead and avoids his eyes.  Bruce sighs.  Then to Tony's horror he strolls over to the bathroom door and yanks it open. 

"Might as well join us," he says calmly.  Peter sheepishly emerges.  Bruce frowns,

"How old are you?"  Peter looks between Bruce and Tony and doesn't answer.  "Are you even out of school yet?" Bruce persists.

"I'm a senior," Peter says unhelpfully in a squawky teen voice.  Tony winces under Bruce's accusing glare.

"I've got 36 hours to bring them in alive," he states defensively.  Bruce shakes his head.

"He's a child."

"A child who's at least as strong as Cap, probably stronger, has accelerated healing, can climb walls and has invented webbing tougher than the highest tensile nylon," Tony shoots back.

"Still a child Tony."

"Dr Banner," the young man in question interrupts.  "I know what I'm doing.  I've been doing this for a while."  Bruce's frown deepens.

"Webbing ... Oh God! You're Spiderman?"  The kid gives a half proud, half apologetic nod.  Bruce turns back to Tony,

"You can't. You can't put him in the middle of that situation."

"I want to help," Peter states.

"I'm sure you do but ..." Bruce replies.  Tony slams the gauntlet down on the bench.  Bruce and Peter go silent.  The engineer stares at the bench then murmurs,

"I'm no good at captures."  He looks up and Bruce is struck at how haunted and exhausted his friend is.  "The suit is great for blasting.  For controlled damage.  I can restrain normal people no problem.  But Barnes, and Steve ... ?  Cap won't stay down.  Not while he's conscious. You know he won't."  Tony glances at Peter.  "Spiderman never kills.  He rarely even leaves a bruise.  He can shoot those webs from dozens of metres away and even Steve's gonna have trouble getting out of them.  We need him."  Tony bites his lip.  "I'll keep him safe.  He keeps his distance.  And it's not like we're battling Hydra.  It's Steve.  But Bruce, without him, it's gonna get bloody.  No way it's not."

"Is that why you didn't ask me?" Bruce says softly. 

"I thought about it," Tony admits.  "But in the end I wasn't sure ..."

"Whose side I'd be on?" Bruce concludes.  Tony slumps down into this chair.  "Thing is,"Bruce continues, "when it comes to the Other Guy, I don't know either."

 

 

 

_Leipzig airport_. 

After accusing looks and recriminations from both sides Steve mentions five more winter soldiers.  Tony huffs, mentions something about having run out of patience and then freezes.

"No," he says shaking his head firmly, holding his hand up to the comms in his ear.  "That is a _terrible_ idea."  Steve frowns, puzzled.

"It is absolutely not a _Code Green_ ," Tony declares firmly.  He looks across at Team Cap with an _oh shit_ expression plastered on his face.

"You brought Banner?" Sam yelps looking around hurriedly.  Tension suddenly radiates through both sides.  Natasha looks deeply unhappy.

"Stark?" she demands.  Tony shrugs.

"He offered."  She glares at him, then returns to scanning the perimeter.

"Well, this looks bad," Bruce assesses, quietly appearing from behind a baggage carrier.  He strolls up to stand between the two groups. 

"Dr Banner," Steve begins.  "I don't know what Tony's told you ..."

"He's told me quite a bit," Bruce comments, taking off his glasses to clean them on the end of his shirt.  "I've also read the Accords and their explanatory memoranda.  Quite a few times actually.  There's a lot of good ideas in there.  But I won't be signing them."  Team Cap relax marginally. 

"So, you're here to help?" Steve asks.

"Well, I hope so," Bruce offers.  "Although maybe not in the way you're hoping."

"Then what ..?" 

"Stop!" Bruce growls, his voice dropping at least an octave.  Wanda had been inching forward, fingers slowly twirling.  She freezes.  "If I see any red," he bites out, "you will be seeing green."  His eyes flash emerald.  "And the other guy still isn't happy with you?  Do we understand one another?"  She gives a wide-eyed nod and backs away.

Everyone takes a moment to breath again.

"Bruce," Steve breaks the silence.  "Whose side are you on?"  Bruce raises his eyebrows.

"Neither." 

"Then why are you here?" Natasha asks softly.  Bruce looks at her with almost a whimsical smile.

"To mediate, of course."

 

 

It's amazing how well behaved, forthcoming and patient everyone can be when the mediator has the ability to turn into a hulking, green rage monster.  Bucky's non-involvement in the bombing in Vienna, the other winter soldiers and the triggering in Berlin all comes out.  A compromise is reached.  The fugitives agree to turn themselves in to Ross - Everett Ross not Thunderbolt.  Broussard's corpse is found and the hunt is on for his impersonator by the time they leave the runway. 

"Thanks Bruce," Tony says solemnly.  Peter hasn't even had to show his face.  So to speak.  Bruce claps him on the shoulder.

"Take care in Siberia.  Don't turn your back on Ross."  Tony nods.

"You sticking around this time?" he asks mock casual.  Bruce tilts his head.

"Maybe.  For a while."

"It's just ... " Tony begins, "I'm working on a few projects I think you'd enjoy."

"I've missed you too T-bone," Bruce answers with a fond smile.  

The billionaire smiles back, almost shyly.  Then he glances around to make certain no one is within earshot.

"In the interests of full disclosure, one of those projects may be building a dossier on a certain douchebag Secretary of State.  Seeing if I can't get him replaced.  Or locked up."   Bruce licks his lips.  Of course Tony is going to take on Ross.  And Ross won't go down easy.  More conflict.  Bruce's first impulse is to run, keep his head down, vanish.  He takes a couple of slow, steadying breaths.  Then he takes in the hopeful look in Tony's eyes, and the dark shadows underneath them. 

"Count me in."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One to go.


	6. Tony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The "war" happens without Tony. It's not so civil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just realised need to add a warning for MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH in this chapter - and no, it's not Tony!

Natasha pulled herself shakily to her feet.  Her ears were ringing.  She touched a hand to her forehead and winced.  Her fingers came back red and wet.  She coughed.  The air was heavy with dust and smoke.  A murmuring buzzed in her ears and then suddenly sound broke through all at once and she shuddered.  Sobbing, cries for help and from her right, a terrible keening.  She followed the sound and located the distraught prince of Wakanda cradling his unmoving father.

Tony?

She couldn't see him.  She pivoted around quickly and had to clutch onto the wall as a wave of dizziness crashed over her.

"Tony!"  She tried to think.  Where?  Where had he been standing before the explosion.  She turned carefully and found herself looking at the grieving prince again.  Not far from the epicentre of the blast.  She stumbled between and over wreckage and bodies scanning from side to side until she spotted an arm sticking out from underneath an overturned desk.  On the wrist was a very expensive, very unique watch.  "Tony," she whispered.  She struggled to move the heavy desk until suddenly there was someone at her side helping.  Together, they lifted it up and and pushed it away.  Tony was curled on his side, one arm bent over his face at an unnatural angle, the other outstretched.  Blood stained the crisp white of his shirt.  Nat knelt down beside him.  "Tony?"  Not even a flicker of a response.  She gently placed two fingers on his throat to feel for a pulse. 

"Is he?"  Natasha looked up into the dust and tear streaked face of T'Challa, new King of Wakanda.

"He's alive," she said softly.

 

 

Chemical.  Sharp.  Some sort of distant relation to pine.  Or lemon.  Lemon-pine?  Pine-lemon?  Tony wrinkled his nose slightly.  He registered sound.  Not a lot.  Footsteps.  Bit of a rubbery squeak.  Polished floors.  And a trolley.  He rubbed his fingers slowly against the sheet he was lying on top of.  It was thick, rough and almost as stiff as cardboard. 

So ... a hospital.  Which meant two things  One, he was injured.  And two, he was still alive. 

Tony cautiously half opened his eyes.  The room was darkish.  There were flowers covering every available flat surface.  One large bouquet was topped with a small red and gold helium foil ballon in the shape of Ironman.  It was directly under an airconditioning duct and Tony watched blearily as it bobbed around gently in the draft.  Sudden movement on his right caused him to turn his head and ... okay that hurt, that hurt a lot.  When the pain subsided enough for him to open his eyes again he found himself staring at a burgundy red face with concerned, blue eyes hovering only inches above his own.  Tony sucked in a deep, shocked breath.   Sharp, toe curling agony shot through his chest.  The combination of chest pain and confusion triggered an avalanche of dark, terrifying memories.  For a few panicked moments Tony struggled through a series of rapid, painful breaths too shallow to allow him to gain the oxygen he needed and then the world greyed out.

 

"You are in Vienna General Hospital," advised a calm, familiar, comforting voice. "The time is 8:47pm.  The weather is fine with an outside temperature of 23 degrees celcius."  Tony kept his eyes closed  and focussed on keeping his breathing under control. 

"Jarvis?"

"No Sir ... Tony," the voice corrected gently.  No, Tony mentally agreed. Not Jarvis.  He opened one eye and squinted at Vision who was watching him from near the foot of his bed.  A young woman dressed in white, _nurse_ , his brain supplied, was standing beside him checking his IV.  She gave him a small reassuring smile.

"I've just given you something to help with the pain.  It should be easing soon," she advised in mildly accented English.  

"Danke," he rasped.  She picked up a plastic cup with a long bending straw and held it next to his lips.  The water was cool and soothing and quite possibly the most wonderful thing he had ever drunk.

"Slowly," she murmured.  He took one more small sip then released the straw. 

"Mr Stark," a tall, auburn haired man wearing a white coat entered the room, "I am Dr Gabriel Staedler."  The nurse took a few steps back and the doctor came to stand by his bedside.  "How are you feeling?"  

"What happened?"  The doctor considered him, then pulled a chair over and sat so that he was at Tony's eye level.

"A bomb was detonated at the UN conference you were attending."  Tony quickly looked across at Vision.

"Rhodey?  Nat?"

"Were not significantly injured by the explosion," Vision reassured softly.  Tony glanced down at his own body.  As far as he could tell all of his limbs were present although one of his arms was bandaged and splinted. 

"You sustained a moderately severe concussion," the doctor advised, "your right ulna was fractured in two places and your right shoulder dislocated.  Your entire right side is heavily bruised and four of your ribs fractured.  You have a unique and complex medical history Mr Stark but we are confident that with time and physiotherapy you will enjoy a full recovery."  Tony sighed deeply.  And yes, the drugs were definitely kicking in because that hadn't hurt too much at all.  "Right now" the doctor continued, "I would like to conduct a short examination and ask you a few questions." 

"You want to see how scrambled my eggs are?" Tony asked in fluent German.  The doctor smiled.

"Precisely."

"I will be right outside," Vision advised, moving towards the door but Tony called his name and the android turned. 

"You told me the time but not the date," Tony noted shrewdly.  "How long have I been out of it?"  Vision exchanged a quick glance with the doctor who gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

"Today is the twelfth of June," Vision stated. 

Tony blinked.  Four days!  As Vision and the nurse bid a hasty exit and the doctor pulled open his notes Tony wondered what had been happening while he slept.

 

 

As it turns out, answering a handful of questions was pretty exhausting in his current state and Tony could barely keep his eyes open by the time they were finished.  He managed to eat a couple of sandwiches and undergo the quietly mortifying procedure of having his catheter removed before dropping off completely.  When he woke again it was day time, early morning by the look of it, and he was not alone.  Jim Rhodes was seated next to his bed reading off a Starkpad.

"Morning Sugar Plum," Tony murmured.  Rhodey looked up with a wide smile,

"Hey Sleeping Beauty."  Tony glanced around.  There really were a lot of flowers in here.

"We opening a florist shop?" he quipped.

"You've had a lot of people pretty worried Tones."  Tony gave a small nod.  Then he noticed what Rhodey was sitting in.  A wheelchair.  He stared at it blankly.

"Vision said you were okay?"  Rhodey frowned then looked down at the chair.  He patted the armrest.

"This isn't for me."  He climbed out of it easily.  "It's for you.  Thought you might want to go for a spin."  Tony considered the chair.  Then he looked sharply up at his friend.

"Somewhere I need to be?"  Rhodes's expression turned serious.

"Natasha's in the next room."  Tony felt his heart sink.

"Vision said she was okay."  Rhodey nodded.

"She was, after the bombing.  Then she got shot."  Tony stared at him.  "She's gonna be okay," his best friend assured him, "but it was touch and go for a couple of days?"

"When?  How?"  Rhodey gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"A lot's happened.  None of it good.  I think it will be better if we're all together when I fill both of you in."  Tony considered that.

"Okay." 

 

Tony used the pee bottle. Then a nurse came in and topped up his painkillers before helping Rhodey transfer Tony into the wheelchair and hooking up the IV to the stand attached to its back.  He caught sight of his own face as they passed the mirrored dresser and almost didn't recognise himself.  He looked like he'd gone ten rounds with the Hulk.  There was a police guard outside his door and outside the door of the next room down.  There was also a guard outside a room at the end of the hall.

"Who's down there?" he couldn't help asking.

"Wilson," Rhodey advised quietly.

"Sam Wilson?" 

"Yeah."  Then Vision was opening the door and Tony got his first look at Nat.

He always knew on some level that Natasha was petite.  But now she looked tiny.  And fragile.  There were a lot more machines in here than in his room, machines with beeping and lights.  There were also two IVs and a silicon bag hooked on the side of the bed filling with a blood streaked straw coloured liquid.  Nasal prongs fed her supplementary oxygen.

"Hey Shellhead," she rasped softly.  Tony didn't know whether to laugh or cry so he settled for a sad smile.

"Wotcha Incey."  He glanced at the flowers covering her dresser.  "You opening a flower shop too.  Maybe we should go into partnership."  Her lips twitched and he counted it as a win.  Rhodey wheeled him in and parked him next to her bedside.  Vision closed the door then went to stand by the foot of the bed.  Jim took pulled up a seat on the opposite side.

"Okay," he said gravely.  "I'm gonna lay this out as it happened.  It's bad."  Tony nodded.  Natasha watched and waited.

"First the bombing.  Twelve people were killed outright.  One of them was King T'Chaka.  Tony sagged in his chair and closed his eyes.  Damn.  He didn't really know T'Chaka, but he respected the hell out of the man.  Wakanda had been a closed country for centuries.  T'Chaka had both the vision and the courage to try to bring it back into the world.  

"Prince T'Challa?" he asked.

"Unhurt.  But really pissed.  We'll get to that soon."  Tony nodded.

"Shortly after the explosion CCTV footage was released of the man who parked the van containing the bomb.  Facial recognition software confirmed his probable identity as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier."  Tony stared at him.

"Bucky Barnes?!" 

"Bucky Barnes," Rhodey confirmed.  Tony's mind raced with the implications of that.

"Cap's gonna fall out of his tree," he decided.

"Yeah," Rhodey agreed solemnly.  "He did all that and more."  And that, that did not sound good.

"Barnes was located in Bucharest.  A special ops team was sent in to get him, emphasis on taking him out quick.  Not necessarily alive.  Cap showed up just before they broke in."  Tony felt sick,

"Is he ...? Is he okay?"  

"Rogers got Barnes out of the building alive.  Some of the special ops team weren't so lucky.  Then it went on the street.  Civillians got involved.  So did Wilson."  Now Tony really did feel sick.  "And so so did the new King of Wakanda."

"T'Challa?"

"T'Challa," Rhodey repeated flatly.  "Who as it turns out has some impressive superhero skills of his own and is known as the Black Panther."  Rhodey swiped across his Starkpad a few times and handed it over to Tony.  The billionaire watched video from War Machine's hud as Barnes, Cap, Wilson and T'Challa in an honest to God catsuit fought and dodged in and out of traffic and collapsed a tunnel.

"Is this how Wilson got hurt?" he asked quietly.

"No, that came later.  I and the Bucharest police took all of them into custody.  None of _them_ were injured."  Tony went to hand the pad back but Rhodey gestured for him to hold onto it.

"Everyone got taken back to Berlin to the headquarters of the UN Joint Counter-Terrorism Taskforce.  I headed back here to keep an eye on you and Nat stayed with Cap and Wilson."  Tony glanced at Natasha. 

"You wanna take this part?" Rhodey asked her gently.  She licked her lips then gave a small nod.  When she spoke it was in a wheezy whisper with regular pauses.

"Steve and Sam ... were offered ... a deal.  Sign and it ... all goes away.  Covered ... by the ... Accords."  And that was unexpected, except when one took other factors into account.

"Because of T'Challa?" he asked quietly.  She nodded.  It made sense the UN wouldn't want to pick a fight with Wakanda's new king.

"We were at ... the Centre.  The power ... went out."  Tony looked at Rhodey who murmured,

"EMP at the substation."  He turned back to Nat.

"Barnes broke out.  He was ..."  She swallowed.  "The Winter Soldier."  She took a couple of shaky breaths.  "He got ... a gun.  He was ... shooting people.  I went in."  She quirked her lips sardonically.  "Took two ... in the chest.  But ... I got ... the gun's slide."  Tony smiled.

"Badass Nat.  Seriously badass."   

"Damn straight," Rhodey concurred.  She smirked.

"Rogers, Barnes and Wilson are in the wind," Rhodey continued, taking up the story.  "I tried to talk to Ross on the phone about us helping to bring them in but he cut me off.  Said we were too compromised and that we should just look after our wounded.  He'd take care of it."  Tony exchanged a look of dread with Nat.  Thaddeus Ross was the worst kind of bastard - a clever one with heaps of resources.  "Yeah," Rhodey commented seeing their expressions.  "That's when everything really went to shit."

Tony wanted to bury his head in his hands but between the IV and the cast all he could do was close his eyes.

"Okay," he said softly.

"Three days ago the Taskforce caught up to Rogers at Leipzig airport.  He wasn't alone.  Barnes, Wilson, Clint Barton and Wanda Maximoff were with him."  Tony's head jerked up sharply enough that the room spun.

"Clint?" Nat whispered.  "And Wanda?"

"I believe I can fill in some gaps here," Vision stated stepping forward.  Because, yeah, Tony remembered now that he'd instructed Vision to keep Wanda at the compound.  The android paused, considering his words.

"Ms Maximoff and I were at the Avengers Compound when there were a series of large explosions near the perimeter fence.  I was aware that there had been a number of threats since ... Lagos ... and went to investigate.  When I returned Mr Barton was with Ms Maximoff trying to persuade her to leave with him to join Captain Rogers as the Captain needed their help.  I advised that I could not allow that to happen.  Mr Barton had set up a series of force fields to imprison me but I phased through them.  I had a hold of Mr Barton when Ms Maximoff ... attacked me."  He looked directly at Tony.  "I am afraid the facility's floors have been damaged."  Tony frowned at him.

"She overpowered you but putting you into the floor?"

"Through the floors."  Vision looked superficially calm but there was something ... off.

"Which floors?"

"All of them."  Tony was stunned.  That was at least seventeen stories of bunker level reinforced concrete straight down.  He quickly calculated the force and energy required to do that.  Wanda was even more powerful than he had realised.   But that wasn't what sickened him.  He had noticed how much Vision liked the Maximoff girl.  She had seemed fond of him too.  Her attack must have been vicious and, even for Vision, potentially lethal.  What did it say about Wanda Maximoff that she could do that to someone who trusted her.  Someone who was supposed to be her friend.

"You okay?" he asked intently.

"All damage has repaired itself," Vision replied.

"I'm not just talking about your body Viz," Tony said quietly.  The only response Vision gave him was a small, brisk nod.  Tony filed that away for later.  It sounded like they had more than enough to deal with for the moment.

"Okay," he said turning back to Rhodey.  "Leipzig Airport."  Rhodey sighed.

"They were flagged by facial recognition.  Ross had both the Taskforce and some of the NATO special forces at his disposal.  Rogers and Barnes breached the perimeter fence.  Maybe they were looking for a plane to steal.  Or to stowaway.  Given what happened in Bucharest and Berlin, a decision was made not to take them on directly.  They used snipers.  Barnes was the priority.  He went down with a headshot.  He's dead."  Natasha covered her mouth with one hand. 

"Steve?" she whispered.

"Alive," Rhodey said gently.  "Ross showed me the video.  Cap turned as Barnes went down and the shots bounced off the shield on this back.  He dropped over Barnes but, it was clearly too late." 

"Clint?" Nat rasped.  "Wanda?  Sam?" 

"Rogers dragged Barnes's body to cover and got trapped there, pinned down by snipers.  Barton started taking the snipers out with arrows.  Non-lethal shots.  And Wilson activated his wings and disarmed the ones up high.  Also, something started moving amongst the special forces that were trying to storm in, knocking them out.  It was like they were being attacked by something invisible.  Maximoff made a shield out of that red energy of hers in front of Rogers.  He picked up Barnes's body and they ran for one of the hangers.  Then, well ... you might need to see it to believe it."  He gestured to the Starkpad and said "Friday, would you bring up the giant footage please."

_Giant?_

Tony exchanged a puzzled look with Natasha then moved the Starkpad so they could both watch.  A video started playing.  It was taken from up high and showed heavily armed tactical forces moving around to flank Cap and Wanda on two sides.  There were at least fifty of them.  Suddenly a giant in a strange helmet and red suit appeared in front of the soldiers approaching on the right.  He picked up two trucks and lay them on their side to form a barricade.  The soldiers opened fire but their bullets seems nothing more than an annoyance to him.  Then a military army drone aimed a small rocket at his head.  He batted it away like it was a fly but the missile exploded next to a hovering Falcon.  Wilson tumbled through the air, possibly already unconscious and certainly no longer under jet propulsion, hitting the grass surrounding the tarmac with a crater-inducing thud.  The giant disappeared as quickly as he had come into existence.  The video winked off.

"Shit," Tony murmured.  "How is he?"

"Spinal fractures," said Rhodey sadly.  "Extensive swelling.  They're pretty sure there's gonna be some paralysis."

"Shit," Tony repeated despondently.  He stared at the blank Starkpad screen then added thoughtfully,

"That helmet and suit.  I think I've seen that before in some old SHIELD files.  That's Hank Pym's tech. 

"Yeah," Rhodey agreed.  "Pym's come forward to disavow any involvement.  Says the suit was used without his permission by a guy named Lang."  Tony nodded.  He sighed.  Part of him really didn't want to know but he had to ask.

"Then what?"

"Wanda," Rhodey said simply.  "Everyone started freaking out.  Terrified.  And not just the soldiers and the taskforce.  People in the airport too. Dozens collapsed.  Quite a few were injured running into walls or off balconies.  One guard started shooting wildly with a full automatic.  Nine people were shot, four dead.  All civillians.  Barton went to help Lang who had collapsed after shrinking back down.  He was shot in the shoulder by a sniper perched on the air traffic control tower.  Wanda brought the entire tower down.  Five more were killed.  Then Wanda threw a truck."

"A truck?" Tony asked weakly.

"A fuel truck," Rhodey grimly confirmed.  "It exploded.  Two more dead.  Four badly burned.  That's when Rogers finally got involved."  Tony looked at Nat.  She had been pale before but now she looked grey and her hand closest to him was trembling.  Tony leaned forward to cover it gently with his own. 

"Rogers was yelling at her to stop after the tower but it was like a switch had flipped or something.  She just kept going."  Another video started on the Starkpad.  Wanda was swaying on the tarmac, enveloped in red mist, hair flying backwards, her eyes were red, and her hands twirled and twisted.  Steve was clearly shouting at her.  Tony registered the exact moment he made the decision. It was when she hurled the fire truck.  A moment later Steve punched her in the back of the head.  She crumpled like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

"Catastrophe," Vision said softly.

The video shut off.  Tony closed his eyes.  He felt sick again and this time there was no heading it off.  He gestured with his hands and Rhodey, wonderful, steady Rhodey, quickly handed him an emiss bag.  He retched into it as pain slammed through him. 

He may have passed out for a little while after that.

When he came back to himself Vision was holding him upright and a nurse was holding a fresh sick bag in front of him.  His mouth tasted like bile and he could feel sweat trinkling down the back of his neck.

"We're taking you back to your room," the nurse stated, pressing a cool cloth against his forehead.  All he could manage was a soft grunt of agreement.  He glanced across at Natasha.  He would never have believed it but there were tears in her eyes.  She mouthed something to him.  _Laura_.  Shit.  Shit.  Shit.  Laura.  The kids.  He gave a tiny nod.  He'd take care of it. Them.  Somehow.

 

Rhodey hovered at the end of their bed as they settled him back in his room.

"Where are they?" he asked softly. 

"You know about Wilson.  Barton's one floor down.  Shoulder's a mess.  He may never use a bow again.  Rogers, Maximoff and Lang were taken by what was left of Ross's men.  He won't say where.  They took Barnes's body too."  The nurse shot Rhodey a sharp look clearly indicating that it was time for him to leave.  Now.

"There's one more thing Tones," Rhodey said softly.  "Barnes was innocent.  At least of Vienna.  The UN organised for a psychiatrist to interview him in Berlin but someone killed him and took his place.  They found the body in his hotel room along with a high quality mask the spitting image of Bucky Barnes.  They think he somehow triggered the Winter Soldier.  Got him to escape."

Tony just stared at him.

"Why?"

"We don't know.  I tried to talk to Wilson but they're not letting anyone in."

"Aus!" the nurse ordered forcefully.  Rhodey held a hand up in surrender.

"Leave the pad?" Tony requested.  Rhodey placed it beside him on the bed.  The nurse fussed with his IV and checked his blood pressure.  She reached for the pad to put it away but Tony covered it with his hand.

"Bitte," he said softly.  Her lips tightened but she left it.  Once he was alone with the door closed he turned on some soft music and whispered,

"Scan room." The pad lit up.   _Two_ _devices detected, audio only_ appeared on the screen.A diagram indicated the bugs were probably placed in one or more of the bouquets of flowers.  He typed _Farm not safe.  Get them out.  Under surveillance.  Will be in touch._   He addressed it to Santa because it was about time Fury earned his damned keep.

"Guardian mode," he murmured.  Friday would tap into the hospital CCTV and nearby radio and mobile phone communications to keep watch.  A suit would position itself discretely on the hospital roof.  He closed his eyes.

His mind replayed over and over what he'd just seen and heard.  But everyone has their limits and eventually his consciousness shut down, allowing him to fall into a deep and dreamless sleep.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay - you're may be wondering why Nat got shot. When Bucky was breaking out of Berlin he is tackled by Tony, Sharon and Nat in succession. He is about to shoot someone when Tony goes in. He is able to get close because of his modified gauntlet. He disables the gun before being knocked down. 
> 
> With Tony incapacitated after the bombing, Nat and Sharon have to deal with an armed Bucky. I toyed with having him shoot both of them. That would have meant Cap and Sam wouldn't have got their equipment back. I also toyed with Nat not getting shot. But going up against an armed Winter Soldier in close quarters - I thought this was a reasonable outcome.  
> One possible result of Nat being injured would be that Clint would tell Cap he wouldn't help and would refuse to assist with Wanda. I decided to keep things as close to the movie as possible so worked on the basis that Nat's injuries were not public knowledge. Clearly Nat and Clint were not communicating much at this stage because he rocks up on the other side without so much as calling her.
> 
> Whether Nat gets shot or not, with Tony out of commission I think Ross would take over the pursuit of Team Cap. It's only Tony's insistence they deal with it and his undertaking to come into the fray as Ironman that bought them 36 hours. When Ross goes in, he has a shoot without warning approach. They'd target Bucky. And if they're smart Wanda. Although in this scenario they don't expect her to be there.
> 
> Hope you have enjoyed this series. I think I've run out of inspiration but I've had fun writing it.
> 
> Thank you for reading and especially for the kudos and kind comments.


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